Commissioners Retract Ranchester Rezone Proposal

Sheridan County's Commissioners unanimously voted to cancel a proposal that would rezone just over 1,000 acres in Ranchester from Rural Residential to Agricultural designation.

The proposed rezone went back to a comprehensive plan approved in 2008, but several property owners contacted the commissioners concerned about what the rezone would do to their property value. Brook Barney spoke on behalf of her family's estate.

Cynthia Hoover estimated that if the re-zone were to happen, her father's land value would go from $15,000 per acre to $2,500 per acre, simply because of zoning.

Several commissioners had reservations about not pushing through with the rezone to avoid patchy development, which is more expensive to the town to provide services and utilities, but ultimately, the commissioners knew they had to listen to the landowners. Commission Chair, Mike Nickel.

In a separate motion, the board of commissioners agreed to allow individual land owners to voluntarily re-zone their property to an agricultural designation. Landowners who do so would have the re-zone fee waived. The arrangement is a continuation of the existing policy in that area.

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